Human Capital, Finology, and the Human-to-Human Economy

Extending the Vision of Financial Planning 3.0 “AI won’t replace planners. But planners who embrace AI — and truly understand human beings — will replace those who don’t.” Partha Iyengar recently left a comment on LinkedIn that stopped me in my tracks. He celebrated Human Capital and Human-to-Human Connections as the real drivers of progress … Continue reading Human Capital, Finology, and the Human-to-Human Economy →

🕊️ The Lost Essenes of Anglesey: Rome’s Forgotten Genocide of the Druids

How empire tried to extinguish the light of natural wisdom — and failed History is written by the victors, but truth is carried by the survivors.Among the most haunting silences in European history is the story of Anglesey (Ynys Môn) — the sacred island once known as the spiritual heart of Britain, where Rome waged … Continue reading 🕊️ The Lost Essenes of Anglesey: Rome’s Forgotten Genocide of the Druids →

From Moral Revolution to Moral Economy: The Next Step in Humanity’s Evolution

When Dutch historian Rutger Bregman delivered this year’s BBC Reith Lectures on the theme of “Moral Revolution,” he captured something profound: the sense that the world’s elites have lost their moral compass — and that small, committed groups of citizens must again lead the next great transformation. Bregman reminds us that history is a reservoir … Continue reading From Moral Revolution to Moral Economy: The Next Step in Humanity’s Evolution →

Lessons for the Chancellor #4: When Education Fuels Inequality

(Insights from Onur Özdemir, “Distributional Effects of Human Capital in Advanced Economies: Dynamics of Economic Globalization,” Business and Economics Research Journal, 2020) As Chancellor Rachel Reeves prepares to deliver her second Budget, the political and fiscal stakes could not be higher. Britain’s economic story mirrors that of other advanced nations: record inequality, wage stagnation, and … Continue reading Lessons for the Chancellor #4: When Education Fuels Inequality →

The Trust Agenda: Why Structural Trustworthiness, Not Deregulation, Will Save Britain’s Economy

By Steve Conley, Founder – Academy of Life Planning The headlines are familiar: a £100 billion budget deficit, sluggish productivity, and another “growth and deregulation” promise on the horizon. But what if the real deficit isn’t fiscal — it’s moral? We call it the Structurally Untrustworthy Discount (SUD) — the hidden cost of a system … Continue reading The Trust Agenda: Why Structural Trustworthiness, Not Deregulation, Will Save Britain’s Economy →

🌿 Gnostic Economics: The Economy of Wholeness

by Steve Conley | Academy of Life Planning “Set thy heart upon thy work, but never on its reward.” — Bhagavad Gita “I do not serve God for heaven’s sake, but because I love Him.” — Catherine of Siena 1 The Search for Wholeness Modern economics is built on separation.We divide capital from conscience, money … Continue reading 🌿 Gnostic Economics: The Economy of Wholeness →

💎 The 0.001% Distraction: Why Society’s Wealth Conversation Is Upside Down

By Steve Conley | Academy of Life Planning | October 2025 A Sparkle in the Corner of the Room BlackRock’s new iShares Bitcoin ETP has the financial world buzzing.Commentators call it “historic” — a milestone for retail investors, an institutional validation of crypto, a bridge between DeFi and TradFi. But let’s pause. In reality, this … Continue reading 💎 The 0.001% Distraction: Why Society’s Wealth Conversation Is Upside Down →

Reducing Inequality, Building Sustainable Prosperity: Lessons for Holistic Wealth Planners

“Wealth is not what you have—it’s what you grow in yourself, your family, and your community.” As holistic wealth planners, we know that prosperity is more than numbers on a balance sheet. It’s about empowering people to thrive in every dimension of life—financially, socially, emotionally, and spiritually. Yet the reality is stark: inequality is rising, … Continue reading Reducing Inequality, Building Sustainable Prosperity: Lessons for Holistic Wealth Planners →

Beyond Money: How Human, Social, and Psychological Capital Drive Real Economic Growth

“Wealth is not just what you own. It’s what you know, how you connect, and who you become.” For decades, mainstream economics has taught us to measure prosperity through the narrow lens of financial capital—land, factories, investments, balance sheets. Yet a growing body of research, including a fascinating study from the Annals of the Constantin … Continue reading Beyond Money: How Human, Social, and Psychological Capital Drive Real Economic Growth →

For True Economic Growth, Government Must Invest in Human Capital Equality

The government speaks often about “growing the economy.” Yet too frequently the conversation stops at GDP, investment incentives, or headline infrastructure projects. What is missing from this vision is the single most decisive driver of long-term growth: human capital equality. A major international study of 108 countries across four decades found that economic success was … Continue reading For True Economic Growth, Government Must Invest in Human Capital Equality →